High CV powders are desired because of their reduced powder consumption but CV rolling down with increased formation voltage limits the application of high CV powder in high working voltage capacitors. The phenomenon, which is known in both Ta and Nb capacitors, is caused by anodic oxide films growing through the necks between powder particles and clogging pores in sintered anodes. This results in reducing surface area of anodes and, thereby, CV rolling down. Increasing of working voltage with high CV powders is also limited by precipitates of crystalline phase in amorphous matrix of anodic oxide film, which inhibit formation of a thick insulating film on the anode surface and provokes high and unstable D.C. leakage. These precipitates are typically associated with impurities in Ta (Nb) anodes, particularly, with bulk oxygen. The major source of bulk oxygen is natural oxide on Ta (Nb) surface that dissolves in the bulk of Ta (Nb) anodes during their sintering.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,825,611 and 6,410,083 and 6,554,884 are representative of attempts to address the crystalline oxide problem by treating the Ta or Nb anodes with nitrogen to purge oxides while limiting nitride precipitates. U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,641 describes reducing of bulk oxygen content in Ta (Nb) anodes (deoxidizing process) by adding reducing agent, e.g. Mg, to anodes and heating the anodes above melting point of the reducing agent and below the temperature conventionally used for sintering of valve-metal anodes. During the heating, vaporized reducing agent deposits on anode surface and reacts with oxygen in Ta (Nb), creating a cover layer of the agent oxide, e.g. MgO layer. After Ta (Nb) anodes are removed from deoxidizing furnace, this cover oxide layer is chemically leached from the anode surface, e.g. MgO is leached in diluted solution of sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide.
An alternative process, based on deoxidizing and sintering combination (so called Y-sintering), is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,447,570. According to the process, the Ta (Nb) powder is pressed into a pellet (a lead wire may be embedded or added later), Mg is added to the pellets, the pellets and Mg are placed in crucibles in a vacuum oven, covered with inert gas, heat treated to generate Mg vapor, deoxidized by Mg, and then sintered in vacuum or inert gas without the anode exposure to air. When oxygen, which is sintering retardant, is removed from Ta (Nb) by deoxidizing, sintering of Ta (Nb) particles requires lower temperatures vs. the temperature conventionally used for sintering of valve-metal anodes. This results in improved morphology of sintered anodes (thicker necks between powder particles and more open pores between the particles). During cooling after the sintering, the pellets are treated with nitrogen to reduce Ta (Nb) affinity for oxygen. After exposure to air, the anodes are leached to remove MgO cover layer. Improved morphology and low oxygen in Ta (Nb) anodes result in improved volumetric efficiency of finished Ta (Nb) electrolytic capacitors. The disadvantage of this prior art is complexity and inefficiency of the equipment needed for its practical realization. During deoxidizing, Mg vapor spreads through the reaction chamber and condenses on all cold parts, including electrical insulation of the heaters. During consequent sintering in vacuum or in inert gas, Mg shunts can cause shortage of the power and control circuits. That's why long and difficult cleaning from residual Mg should be performed after each run of the furnace.